Homeland first

1. When peace was restored in the North (in 1954), I was not yet 10 years old. In my village, almost every house displayed the slogan: "The Fatherland above all else" in a prominent place. Once, sitting on my father's lap, I asked: "Dad, what does 'The Fatherland above all else' mean?" My father gently patted my back: "You'll understand when you grow up. Basically, it means the Fatherland must be at the very top, above everything else."

Growing up, amidst the fierce resistance war against the US, my friends and I temporarily set aside our studies to enlist, crossing the Truong Son Mountains to fight the enemy in the South. We spent months climbing mountains and wading through streams. When we were busy, we didn't bother. But when we had free time, I would open my diary and jot down notes.

I recall my father's explanation: "The Fatherland above all else is the Fatherland at the highest, above everything else." Looking at the vast army "marching across the Truong Son Mountains to save the country," I reflected and found my father's words simple, easy to understand, yet profound. Because the Fatherland is above all else, it wasn't just us who "put aside our studies to go to war," but the entire nation marched to the battlefield. Because the Fatherland is higher than everything else, the entire nation sacrificed everything—lives, possessions, dreams, and aspirations—to save the country, "to drive out the Americans, to overthrow the puppet regime."

After the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975), I returned to work at the People's Army Newspaper. While interacting with international colleagues, one friend asked: "Why did the Vietnamese people, lacking advanced weapons and despite being poor, defeat enemies many times larger?" I replied that there were many reasons, but first and foremost, we had a people's war strategy. The entire country was a battlefield. Every citizen was a soldier.

As time passes, countless events have unfolded on this earth. Wars, epidemics, natural disasters… have claimed countless human lives, all the more explaining why our country and our people remain as resilient as a ship weathering storms and reaching the shores of happiness. The answer remains the same: everyone believes in one thing: the Fatherland comes first. For the Fatherland, everyone is ready to dedicate their whole heart!

2. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975) in Ho Chi Minh City, we woke up at 3 a.m. to "march" to the Reunification Hall for the ceremony. The car stopped at the intersection of Vo Thi Sau and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia streets. We walked nearly two kilometers to the ceremonial platform on Le Duan street. Tens of thousands of people had been waiting on both sides of the road for a long time.

A young man, holding a red flag with a yellow star, told us, "We've been waiting for you, the Liberation Army soldiers, since yesterday evening." Seeing us in our ceremonial uniforms, adorned with medals and decorations, everyone rushed out to congratulate us and take pictures. I couldn't hold back my tears.

Exactly half a century ago, we poured into the city from the outskirts. Our people welcomed us warmly. But this time, it truly stirred our hearts. Time is nothing; after 50 years, the people have only grown to love and trust us – the soldiers of Uncle Ho's Army. The Fatherland comes first. For our beloved Fatherland, our entire nation shares the same goal to protect it. To cherish the soldiers of Uncle Ho's Army is to love the Fatherland. Sitting in the stands during the victory celebration, I felt as happy as a sleepwalker. I only remember the mothers who lost their sons, the wives who lost their husbands. The bodies of the martyrs have become part of the Fatherland's soil. And their souls have ascended, becoming the national spirit!

3. The new revolution, "reorganizing the country - entering a new era," initiated and led by our Party, is being implemented by the entire nation and is attracting the attention of international friends. Changing habits is difficult, but changing perceptions is even more difficult. That's right, once we're right, we can overcome any difficulty. I pondered this as I walked through a sea of ​​people and flags preparing to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd.

Every revolution has two sides. The positive side is primarily decisive, while the latter presents difficulties and challenges that must be overcome. I am reminded of the slogan "The Fatherland above all!" that I asked my father about nearly 70 years ago. If everyone thinks this way – the Fatherland above all – then no matter how difficult it is, we will overcome it; we will build our country as our beloved President Ho Chi Minh instructed; worthy of the noble sacrifices of millions of martyrs and our compatriots.

TRAN THE TUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/to-quoc-tren-het-post811173.html